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US House OKs measure to boost Taiwan's defense

"The committee believes that weapons sales alone do not guarantee capability."

US House of Representaives Armed Services Committee report

The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a measure to boost Taiwan's defense capabilities by requiring the Pentagon to establish a wide-ranging program of joint military-training exercises with Taiwan's armed forces and an exchange of senior officers between the two militaries.

The measure is part of a bill to fund America's military for next year, which the House approved 359-58 early yesterday morning.

The legislation would order the Pentagon to implement a "comprehensive plan" for joint activities and exchanges within six months of passage of the defense funding law. The plan would be designed to "improve the defensive capabilities of Taiwan and to enhance interoperability between the military forces of Taiwan and the armed forces of the United States."

The cooperative activities would include threat analysis, military doctrine, force planning, logistical support, intelligence collection and analysis, operational tactics, techniques and procedures, and civil-military relations.

Meanwhile, the Senate Armed Services Committee late Thursday completed work on its version of the 2003 defense funding bill, after an all-day closed-door session.

It was not immediately known whether that bill contained the Taiwan defense provision. The committee was scheduled to release details of its bill later in the day.

Authors of the House bill said their action stemmed from their concern over China's missile buildup opposite Taiwan and over the level of training for Taiwan's military personnel.

In this, they noted that the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act mandated that the United States supply Taiwan with sufficient "defense services" as well as weapons systems to assure its self-defense capabilities.

"While the committee is generally satisfied with the administration's actual and proposed sales of defense articles to Taiwan, China's missile buildup and arms acquisitions have heightened concern about Taiwan's ability to defend itself," the House Armed Services Committee said in a report on the bill to the House.

"The committee is concerned that if the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait continued to shift in China's favor, China may be tempted to seize Taiwan by force," the report said.

"The committee believes that weapons sales alone do not guarantee capability. Rather, these systems are only as effective as the military personnel trained to operate, integrate, and employ them."

It said the joint operational training will "help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, deter aggression, promote dialogue, and enhance regional stability."

The Taiwan provision of the House bill is similar to provisions in the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, which the House passed in 2000 but which died in the Senate.

The Clinton administration opposed that bill, but the Bush administration has never voiced an opinion on it.

That bill would have substantially enhanced the ties between the Taiwan and US militaries, and would have set up secure communications channels.
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